Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 Bolton Wanderers: Defeat for troubled Trotters at Adams Park
- Published
Bolton's 19-year-old midfielder Dennis Politic was one of six debutants in their starting line-up
Bolton Wanderers were beaten 2-0 in their opening League One game at Wycombe - after travelling to the game with only three contracted senior outfield players.
Manager Phil Parkinson named six debutants in his starting XI, including Josh Earl and James Weir, whose signings were announced when the teams were revealed an hour before kick-off.
There were eight debuts in all, as teenagers Joe White and Callum King-Harmes came off the bench for Parkinson's side.
Preston loanee Earl lasted less than 15 minutes before he needed to be replaced after being hurt in a collision with Wycombe's Paul Smyth - who went on to score the hosts' opening goal.
Northern Ireland international Smyth, on a season-long loan from QPR, got onto the end of a pass ahead of onrushing Bolton goalkeeper Remi Matthews and turned the ball into an empty net.
Substitute Fred Onyedinma headed in the home side's second with nine minutes left.
Bolton, who had more than 1,600 fans at the game, performed admirably but remain on -12 points as a result of going into administration in May.
Midfield trio Jason Lowe, Luke Murphy and Erhun Oztumer, along with goalkeepers Remi Matthews and Ben Alnwick, were the only members of last season's first-team squad to travel to Wycombe.
The remainder of the matchday squad was made up of Under-23 and Under-18 players, plus their two new signings.
BBC Radio Manchester's Jack Dearden paid tribute to the 1,660 away fans at Adams Park
It has been an uncertain summer for the club since their relegation from the Championship, with a protracted takeover still yet to be finalised.
A sale to the Football Ventures group was expected to go through before the start of the season, but remains unresolved.
Saturday's match was under threat of suspension, until the English Football League (EFL) confirmed on Tuesday that Bolton had provided sufficient evidence of financial viability.
Before then, a trio of pre-season friendly matches were cancelled and players went five months without salaries - although it has been reported that contracted senior players received payments on Friday.